Cribbing.



PATENTED MAY 9, 1905.

F. H. BRENTON & J. STRUTHBRS.

GRIBBING.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 21, 1905.

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M ITNESSES No. 789,140. PATENTED MAY 9, 190 5. F. H. BRENTON & J. STRUTHERS.

GRIBBING.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 21, 1905. I

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IINTTE STATns Patented May 9, 1905.

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CRIBBING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 789,140, dated May 9, 1905.

Application filed January 21, 1905. Serial No. 242,138.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, FRANK H. BRENTON and JOHN STRUTI-IERS, residents of Pittston, in the county of Luzerne and State of Pennsyl- Vania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gribbings; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to improved cribbing, and more particularly to cribbing especially adapted for use in digging graves and other deep excavating-work, the object of the invention being to improve upon the construction disclosed in our application for patent on cribbing filed July 16, 190%, Serial No. 216, 867 and allowed November 3, 1904; and the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, as will be more fully hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View illustrating our improvements. Figs. 2 and 3 are views in section of Fig. 1 and taken at right angles to each other. Figs. 4 and 5 are views illustrating a modified form of stretcher. Figs. 6 and 7 are views of details of construction, and Figs. 8 and 9 illustrate a modified form of mortise-box and tenon.

Our improved cribbing comprises a series of side planks 1 and cross-stretchers 2. The side planks 1 each have secured to their inner faces vertical metal straps 3, the straps 3 of the upper planks having -hooks 4: at their lower ends and the straps 3 of the other planks having hooks 4 and eyes 5 at their op posite ends, permitting coupling of the straps and the suspension of the side planks from the upper planks, which latter have metal angle-brackets 6 secured to their ends to support the cribbing upon cross-timbers or the ends of the excavation, as may be found desirable. The adjacent edges of the side planks 1, as shown at 7, are made beveled or inclined, which permits the planks when assembled and located in alinement to make a close joint one with another and prevent dirt, sand, gravel,

mud, &c., from passing between the planks down into the excavation, to the great annoyance of the workmen and imperfection of the work.

On the inner faces of planks 1, at their ends, inclined mortise-boxes 8 are located and are adapted to receive dovetailed tenons 9 on the 'ends of the stretchers 2 and support the latter in aninclined position. By thus inclining the boxes 8 the stretchers 2 can be made just as wide as the planks 1 to exclude dirt, &c., from the excavation and yet be easily placed in position or removed, as occasion may require. The tenons 9 are strengthened by metal plates 10, secured to the edges of the stretchers, and one of each pair of plates 10 is made with a tenon 11, larger than the wooden tenon at the end of the stretcher, to limit the movement of said tenons through the boxes and hold the stretchers in proper position, and the boxes 8 are recessed to receive said enlarged tenons 11 and neatly inclose the same.

Instead of inclining the mortise-boxes they may be located vertically, but are narrower than the width of the stretcher to enable the stretchers to be readily inserted into position as shown in Figs. 4c and 5, and to fill the spaces between the stretchers boards 12 are connected by hinges thereto, form parts thereof, and are adapted to be swung to a vertical position to close the space. Suitable turn-buttons 13 are provided to hold the boards in a vertical position or permit them to be folded back when the cribbing is to be removed.

It will be observed that with both forms of cribbing described a practically tight box is secured which can be made of any depth and assembled and'removed in sections to suit all conditions. Instead of having the tenons and boxes dovetailed shape they might be T shape, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, or they might be otherwise formed to interlock.

A great many other changes might be made in the general form and arrangement of the parts described without departing from our invention, and hence we would have it understood that we do not restrict ourselves to the precise details set forth, but consider ourselves at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly fall Within the spirit and scope of our invention.

Having fully described our invention, What We claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A cribbing, comprising a series of horizontal members, each member comprising a pair of side planks and stretchers locked at their ends to the side planks, and said side planks beveled to fit snugly at their adjacent edges.

2. A cribbing, comprising a series of horizontal members, each member suspended from the one above and comprising a pair of side planks, and stretchers connecting them, and the side planks of one member constructed and arranged to overlap the side planks of adjacent members.

3. A cribbing comprising a series of hori- Zontal members, each member comprising a pair of side planks, mortise-boxes thereon, and stretchers constructed and arranged to approximately close the end of the cribbing, and having tenons to enter said boxes.

4,. A cribbing, comprising a series of horizontal members, each member comprising a pair of side planks, inclined mortise-boxes secured thereto, and stretchers having tenons at their ends to enter said boxes.

In testimony whereof We have signed this, 

